By Jan SchultzThe Imperial Republican Several lab-diagnosed cases of influenza have Chase County Schools’ students at home this week or just returning to class. School Nurse Angie Paisley said the annual flu bug is showing up more among grade 7-12 students, several of which have the confirmed diagnosis after lab tests. two to three K-6 students have also been sent home, or stayed home, with symptoms, she said. the symptoms started showing up among students last week, Paisley said. They include the sudden onset of fever, chills, headache, dry cough or muscle aches. “They came in the morning fine and by afternoon they were sent home,” she said, one with a temperature as high as 102-plus degrees. Paisley said the best defense against influenza is keeping your immune system healthy. Besides getting a flu shot, those include getting enough sleep, adequate nutrition, regular hand washing and keeping your hands away from the eyes, nose and mouth. “Managing your stress level is another one,” Paisley said. the Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department (SWNPHD), which covers Chase County, sent out a release Tuesday announcing the first lab-confirmed influenza case in their area had been reported. Director Myra Stoney confirmed later that day by phone the case was in Chase County. Stoney said, even though cases are now confirmed in this area, it’s still wise to get a flu shot.     “It’s still beneficial,” she noted. “It takes two weeks to get full immunity” from the shot. the flu season typically peaks in February. She said sometimes the focus for flu shots is with adults, or senior citizens, whose immunity may be compromised. “We forget about the youths sometimes,” she said. That hasn’t been the case at the Chase County Immunization Clinic, reports coordinator Chris Tomky, R.N. She suspects their clinic has given 150 to 200 doses of the flu shot this season to youths age 18 and younger. her clinic operates the second Saturday of the month at the hospital. a check with Chase County Clinic in Imperial shows they still have the flu shot available. Appointments are not necessary, but a doctor must be at the clinic at the time the flu shot is given. Stoney noted the SWNPHD office in McCook, located one block north of Arby’s, has recently been named a Vaccines for Children site, and now provide the immunization and flu shots for youths 18 and younger, as well, and they have them available. People should call the office at 308-345-4223. the flu shot is recommended by health departments for everyone six months and older this season. Stoney noted it appears this year’s season hasn’t peaked yet, so a flu shot is still a good choice. Many insurance companies now provide 100 percent coverage for the flu shot, too, since it’s a preventative effort.      It’s also important to stay home when you are sick, Stoney added, especially with a fever. People should not return to school or work until they are fever-free for a minimum of 24 hours, without fever-reducing medicines.Stomach flu also a problem School Nurse Paisley said they’ve been dealing with gastro-intestinal (GI) illness at CCS much longer than with influenza. “This is the main thing we’ve been dealing with for two to three months,” she said. Symptoms of that illness include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Stoney said sometimes influenza and “stomach flu” are viewed as the same. “Don’t confuse them. Influenza is in your lungs. GI attacks your stomach and/or digestive tract,” she said.

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. when the hepatitis occurs abruptly with severe symptoms it is referred to as acute hepatitis. there are numerous causes of hepatitis. probably the most well known but not the most common cause is alcohol abuse. however, there are also many drugs that have a toxic effect on the liver and cause inflammation particularly when used in large quantities. One of these is an over the counter pain killer known as acetaminophen. taken in high doses it can seriously injure the liver. Prescription drugs that cause problems are methyldopa, isoniazid, valproate, and amiodarone.

Acute hepatitis is definitely an inflammatory procedure leading to liver cell death either by necrosis or by triggering apoptosis (programmed cell death). a broad variety of clinical entities can trigger global hepatocyte injury of sudden onset. Worldwide, acute hepatitis is most commonly caused by infection with one of several kinds of viruses.

Hepatitis, in its primary stages, may produces flu-like symptoms, including:

* Malaise * Mild fever * Muscle or joint pains * Appetite loss * Nausea * Vomiting

Many cases of persistent hepatitis are thought to represent an immune-mediated attack about the liver occurring consequently of persistence of certain hepatitis viruses or after prolonged exposure to particular medicines or noxious substances. in some, no mechanism may be recognized.

Hepatitis C is usually spread by contact to human blood that has been contaminated with the hepatitis C virus. there is an astonishing number of people that are infected with the hepatitis C virus because of injection of drugs. People who have transfusions of blood are also at risk of infection with the hepatitis C virus.

Although there is no current or specific remedy for Hepatitis a, in the majority of cases, it will resolve itself. the best course of treatment for Hepatitis is rest, combined with a high protein diet, which helps to repair the damaged liver cells and protect the liver.

Hepatitis is an inflammatory condition of the liver. Hepa is Latin for “liver” and the English suffix “itis” means inflammation. Hepatitis is characterized by other pathologies such as jaundice, abdominal and gastric discomfort, hepatomegaly, and dark urine (which is a sign of severe acidosis).

Hepatitis C treatments commonly involve the administration of interferon, a medication that was initially designed to treat patients diagnosed with leukemia. Interferon is actually a natural body protein produced when viral infectious agents intrude inside the human body.

There are tests that can show can show the seroprevelance of the hepatitis B virus in a pregnant women. the infection with hepatitis can be either acute or chronic. the acute infection with the hepatitis B virus means that this infection happened only during pregnancy and the person was otherwise healthy, whereas the chronic infection shows that the infection with the hepatitis B virus was previous to the pregnancy.

Although the body produces interferon in small quantities, this protein is very effective in fighting against viral infections. however, the benefic effects of interferon can nowadays be enhanced by modifying the protein in the laboratory. the majority of patients with mild, uncomplicated forms of hepatitis C generally respond well to treatments with interferon, completely recovering from disease after completing longer courses with this type of medication. At the opposite pole, patients with chronic or more advanced forms of hepatitis C are often confronted with relapse soon after they stop receiving such treatments.

Hepatitis is a very common disease that can cause a lot of damage to your liver. in cases of viral hepatitis, there are some ways of prevention, but this generally speaking.

1. Fresh water algae2. Whole grain products3. Green vegetable juices4. Legumes

Frequently Asked Questions

Influenza, strep throat, sinus infections, bronchitis, viral upper respiratory illness, pneumonia and gastroenteritis are all making their way around the campus as well as the Bloomington-Normal community.

Influenza illness is possible at any time of the year. However, there is typically an increase in influenza during the winter months.  

The flu is a contagious respiratory illness and many people are inside and in closer contact with one another in the colder months, Diane Waters, assistant director of Student Health Services, said.

The Centers for Disease Control recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care if you have the flu.

There are common symptoms of the flu that students should be aware of and include, “sudden onset of fever, body aches, headaches, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose [or] fatigue,” Waters said.

If a person does contract the flu, they should, “drink plenty of fluids, get plenty of rest, and take medications for flu symptoms.  Stay away from others as much as possible and cover your cough and sneezes to prevent others from getting sick,” Waters said.

“Definitely get plenty of rest, try to stay in bed as much as possible until you start to feel better, and try to drink plenty of fluids.  If you don’t start to feel better after a few days, or if your fever seems to get worse, make an appointment to see a doctor,” James Almeda, health educator for Health Promotion and Wellness, said.

Waters said to help prevent contracting the flu, many students may want to get a flu shot each year as the best means of prevention. ISU students may schedule an appointment for a free flu shot at the Student Health Services.

Given that there are so many people who do get the flu, getting a flu shot will help reduce one’s risk, or if one still gets the flu, it may not affect a student as much, Almeda said.

Other ways in which people can help prevent or reduce their risk of getting the flu as well as other illnesses this season would be to “wash hands often and well. Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands,” Waters said.

She added that students should always, “keep an alcohol-based hand sanitizer handy for times when soap and water aren’t available.”

“It also helps to take care of yourself to keep your immune system strong – get enough sleep each night, get some physical activity each day, eat well and include at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, manage your stress, maintain healthy relationships,” Alemda said.

“And if you drink alcohol, try to limit it to know more than three drinks on any occasion,” Almeda said.

He added that cold and flu kits are available at G Spot.

If a student has a fever, muscle aches, headaches, sore throat, cough or stomach aches, schedule an appointment with Student Health Services by calling (309) 438-2778 or by going online to shs.illinoisstate.edu/appointments.

Sinusitis might be to blame for congestion, discomfort

Each and every year, when the temperatures hover around or below freezing, scores of men, women and children reach for the tissue box to overcome what’s typically assumed to be the common cold. but that common cold might actually be something much different.

Roughly 37 million Americans suffer from at least one episode of sinusitis each year. an inflammation, or swelling of the tissue lining the sinuses, sinusitis can prove very difficult to live with. Healthy sinuses are normally filled with air, but when a person is suffering from sinusitis, their sinuses become blocked and filled with fluid and germs, potentially leading to infection. To avoid succumbing to sinusitis this year, learn as much about the condition as possible so it can be properly diagnosed early on and limit its potentially painful effects.

It’s easy to overlook sinusitis because many people mistakenly assume sinusitis is purely a chronic condition. However, sinusitis isn’t always chronic.

* Acute sinusitis: Acute sinusitis is characterized by a sudden onset of cold-like symptoms that don’t go away after 7 to 10 days. Symptoms can include runny nose, congestion and facial pain that lasts 4 weeks or less.

* Subacute sinusitis: Symptoms will last 4 to 8 weeks.

* Chronic sinusitis: When sinus inflammation lasts 8 weeks or more, the condition is considered chronic.

Certain people are more likely to suffer from sinusitis than others. Those people include:

* People with structural differences, including a deviated septum, that narrow the drainage ducts.

* People who suffer from allergic rhinitis, which causes the swelling of the lining of the nose.

* People with nasal polyps, or small growths in the lining of the nose.

* People whose nasal mucous membrane swells as from a common cold.

Because it’s common to mistake a bout of acute sinusitis with the common cold, men and women should learn about acute sinusitis to help determine if what they or their children are suffering through is sinusitis or just a common cold. the symptoms of acute sinusitis include:

* Facial pain and pressure

* Cough or congestion

Doctors will typically ask for a full list of symptoms when attempting to diagnose the problem. if the doctor suspects sinusitis, he or she may press the sinuses to feel for tenderness and might also tap the individual’s teeth to determine if the paranasal sinus is inflamed.

There are also tests available to determine if a person is suffering from sinusitis. these can include studying the mucus culture, conducting a CT scan of the sinuses, allergy testing, nasal endoscopy, or even blood work.

When a person is diagnosed with sinusitis, their treatment will depend on whether they were diagnosed with acute or chronic sinusitis.

The best thing to keep in mind when suffering from sinusitis is to be proactive if you suspect you have it. Delaying treatment will only extend the often painful and uncomfortable symptoms.

Acute hepatitis is definitely an inflammatory procedure leading to liver cell death either by necrosis or by triggering apoptosis (programmed cell death). a broad variety of clinical entities can trigger global hepatocyte injury of sudden onset. Worldwide, acute hepatitis is most commonly caused by infection with one of several kinds of viruses.Hepatitis is a disease, caused by the hepatitis virus. There are four classes – a,b,c and g. they can be chronic or acute. Acute hepatitis is more damaging to your health, than chronic hepatitis. There is a long period during which people with the infection do not notice it, and have no symptoms whatsoever. You can catch hepatitis, by usually coming in contact with contaminated blood, but that’s not the only way. Let’s look at some of the treatment forms for acute heaptitis.Viruses a and E may cause acute hepatitis called “the disease of dirty hands” because people often get infection while traveling in the African and Asian countries. Viruses B, C, D may be agents of chronic hepatitis. Those viruses are transmitted via blood or during unprotected sex. In some cases chronic viral hepatitis after 10-30 years may lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer.Most of these medicines act directly on the liver cells, reduce inflammation and swelling, and normalize cell function. some of these medicines have strong anti-viral activity. some medicines boost the immune mechanism of the body. these medicines help in bile secretion and improve appetite. Because of these properties, the above mentioned medicines are effective in all types of hepatitis. these medicines can also be given to reduce or eliminate the toxic effects of essential drugs like anti-tuberculosis and anti-cancer drugs.Hepatitis C – is a life-threatening, disease of the liver, which is transmitted by exposure to blood. a particularly dangerous form of viral hepatitis, it is caused by an RNA virus. Hepatitis C can lead to serious, permanent liver damage, and in many cases, death. more than 82 percent of those who are infected will progress to chronic liver disease. It is suspected that there are, at present, more than 4.5 million people in the United States that are infected with hepatitis C, and more than 200 million around the world.Hepatitis is characterized by the destruction of a number of liver cells and the presence of inflammatory cells in the liver tissue caused by excessive alcohol drinking, disorders of the gall bladder or pancreas, including medication side effects, and infections.In this article, we will discuss causes, symptoms, types, prevention and treatment of hepatitis. Common symptoms of hepatitis are malaise and jaundice anorexia, although there are some instances that the condition do not show any or has limited symptoms. the condition becomes acute when it persists for less than six months and it becomes chronic when it last longer. Majority of the hepatitis cases worldwide are caused by a group of viruses referred to as the hepatitis viruses, however toxins, like alcohol and certain plants and medication, autoimmune conditions and other forms of infections.

About the Author:Read about study programs. also read about risk management careers and courses in australia.

Author: Kelan Grady

Calling all Red Hot Mamas dealing with menopause and perimenopause!Meet Karen Giblin, the Founder and President of the Red Hot Mamas, an organization dedicated to helping menopausal women by providing information and inspiration. Giblin is currently a member of the International Menopause Society (IMS) and the North American Menopause Society (NAMS), two leading menopause advocacy organizations. nevertheless, it is her passionate menopause advocacy work with Red Hot Mamas of which she is most proud.the Red Hot Mamas, how it all startedGiblin created Red Hot Mamas in 1991 out of necessity as well as the desire to help others. After undergoing an oophorectomy (removal of ovaries) and hysterectomy at the age of 40, Giblin needed guidance to deal with the sudden onset of menopause. the problem was that few if any resources were available save for the odd book or two. What made her experience worse was the immediate isolation combined with feelings of shame. Giblin recalls, ?We were and still are in the midst of a youth-oriented society. Many of us equate menopause with old age and all the negative connotations associated with aging.? ?I was embarrassed.?Not only was that fateful trip to the bookstore virtually useless, it was downright humiliating. With few peers going through the change (we?ll touch on that subject later) women found themselves adrift in a menopause sea with nowhere to turn for advice. Moreover, the shame made it even more difficult to obtain what little advice was available. As Giblin remembers with some humor and a bit of sadness, ?Heading up to the bookstore checkout with the one book that I could find, I hid that book under a stack of magazines.? the last thing any woman in her early 40s wants to think about, or deal with, is menopause and back in the early 1990s, aging was somewhat akin to a social disease.?Women need to educate themselves about the whole ?change? process.?Returning to the earlier comments about Giblin knowing few if any women in their early 40s dealing with menopause, natural or surgical, the last 20 years have brought about some interesting findings. then as now, a majority of women still think in terms of hot flashes associated with menopause. But menopause is so much more than just hot flashes and hormones; several other symptoms are common during menopause. Take insomnia for example; this is a very common complaint for women in their 40s and even in their late 30s. there are varieties of causes that can contribute to sleep disorders and for some women fluctuating hormone levels and night sweats are behind many sleepless nights. yet few women will think of menopause and either reach for the sleeping pills or as Giblin says, ?These women run from one healthcare professional to another based on insomnia symptoms and very often these women are still thinking menopause is somewhere off in the future.?Menopause is a long phase not a sharp breakGiblin has found in the last two decades that women need to know about the entire menopausal process that begins long before the last menstrual period. ?Perimenopause is a very real occurrence for many women as they being noticing changes, even if only slight ones, anywhere up to 8 years or even longer. Perimenopause is the body?s preparation for menopause and as the hormone levels readjust themselves, women will undergo a variety of symptoms.?Once women recognize that menopause is not one quick event but a period of transition, menopause education is essential for coping with healthcare issues.After 20 years, Giblin is pleased to report that while there is still work to be done, a lot of progress has been made in attitudes towards menopause and women?s healthcare. a glance at the numerous shelves of menopause books and the endless Web sites demonstrates a new and better world for menopausal women compared to 1991. Giblin and Red Hot Mamas everywhere played and continue to play important roles as menopause ambassadors.Check out redhotmamas.com to read more about Karen Giblin, the woman behind it all.a special thank you to Karen Giblin for our recent interview.